Monday, April 6, 2026
ADVT 
National

Pfizer first planned February rollout in Canada

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 08 Mar, 2021 06:16 PM
  • Pfizer first planned February rollout in Canada

The president of Pfizer Canada says when the company signed a purchase agreement last August it didn't expect its vaccine to get approved here until February.

Cole Pinnow also told the House of Commons health committee today that changes to the dosing schedule and conflicting advice could make more people vaccine hesitant.

On Aug. 1, Canada signed an agreement with Pfizer to buy at least 20 million doses, with the option to buy 56 million more, and approval was not expected until early 2021.

Health Canada ended up approving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in December 2020.

Pinnow told the committee it was only in November that the federal government and Pfizer realized the approval could be imminent and began moving quickly to deliver doses to Canada months earlier than planned.

He also says the National Advisory Committee on Immunization did not contact Pfizer before it recommended changing delaying the second dose from three weeks to four months after the first shot.

MORE National ARTICLES

High-risk offender Kristjon Olson back in custody: Surrey RCMP

High-risk offender Kristjon Olson back in custody: Surrey RCMP
On May 22, 2020, Surrey RCMP issued a public warning advising that high-risk sex offender, Kristjon Olson, was released from custody and would be residing in Surrey.

High-risk offender Kristjon Olson back in custody: Surrey RCMP

Vancouver Police investigates hit and run as pedestrian clings to life

Vancouver Police investigates hit and run as pedestrian clings to life
The pedestrian, a 47-year-old man from Vancouver, was taken to hospital with serious, life-threatening injuries.

Vancouver Police investigates hit and run as pedestrian clings to life

Border officer says Meng had choice to share codes

Border officer says Meng had choice to share codes
The B.C. Supreme Court is hearing evidence this week that Meng's defence team hopes will bolster an argument they will make next year during extradition proceedings that she was subject to an abuse of process.

Border officer says Meng had choice to share codes

WATCH: Canada To Welcome Over 1 Million New Immigrants in 3 years

WATCH: Canada To Welcome Over 1 Million New Immigrants in 3 years
 Between 2021 and 2023, the goal is to admit upwards of 1.2 million new permanent residents.

WATCH: Canada To Welcome Over 1 Million New Immigrants in 3 years

Canadians need to cut contacts by a quarter: Tam

Canadians need to cut contacts by a quarter: Tam
The modelling indicates that at current rates of in-person socializing, Canada could see COVID-19 case counts increase to8,000 per day come early December.

Canadians need to cut contacts by a quarter: Tam

Scientists ID markers in blood for severe COVID-19

Scientists ID markers in blood for severe COVID-19
The study, which has been published online and is currently in the final stages of peer review for the journal Critical Care, concludes that the presence of the virus's RNA in blood is "associated to critical illness."

Scientists ID markers in blood for severe COVID-19